Electrical switch with a thermal triggering unit and method for adapting a thermal triggering curve

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical switch having a thermal trigger unit and a method for adapting a thermal trigger curve, the thermal trigger unit triggering and disconnecting the electrical switch when a thermal budget acting thereon is exceeded, wherein the trigger unit includes an adjustment module that adjusts a trigger element of the thermal trigger unit according to an accessory connected to the electrical switch by means of an actuating element such that the thermal effect of the accessory is compensated for at the time of triggering.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical switch having a thermal triggering unit and a method for adapting the thermal triggering curve of an electrical switch. Background Art

[0002] The thermal triggering unit of a protection device such as a Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB) or an Air Circuit Breaker (ACB) is usually calibrated and put on the market without being assembled or installed with accessories. Once a customer assembles an external accessory or installs an internal accessory, the thermal balance on or in the electrical switch may change.

[0003] For the change of the thermal balance on or in the electrical switch, there may be the following reasons. On the one hand, for example, in the case of using a socket, due to the increase of the contact transition resistance, the temperature of the switch terminal may rise. In addition, due to the assembly or installation of active heat-generating accessories such as motor drivers, under-voltage triggers or communication modules, the temperature of the switch housing may rise.

[0004] Due to, for example, a rotary drive or an auxiliary switch being installed on top of the switch heat dissipation surface or blocking the switch heat dissipation surface, the temperature of the switch housing may also rise. For example, in the case of a socket, due to the reduction of heat dissipation via the connecting rail, the temperature of the switch housing may also rise.

[0005] However, contrary to the increase in the temperature of the switch housing, due to the assembly of accessories, the temperature of the switch housing may also decrease because the accessories may also act as a cooling surface or a heat dissipation surface.

[0006] If the thermal balance on or in the electrical switch changes, this also directly affects the thermal triggering unit integrated in the electrical switch. In the case of an identified over-temperature, the electrical switch is triggered prematurely. On the contrary, in the case of an identified under-temperature, the electrical switch is triggered too late.

[0007] Therefore, accessories that affect the thermal balance of the electrical switch inadvertently and undesirably shift its thermal triggering curve overall.

[0008] One possibility to solve this problem is to provide differently calibrated devices for different applications. Another possibility is to place additional scales or additional adjustment marks in the adjustment element for the triggering behavior on the electrical switch in the case of assembling or installing accessories.

[0009] For the full functionality of an electrical switch, the thermal triggering curve of its triggering unit must be adjusted corresponding to the assembled or installed accessories. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrical switch that solves the problem that the thermal triggering curve is affected by accessories in terms of the thermal balance of the electrical switch and moves inadvertently and undesirably.

[0011] The technical problem according to the present invention is solved by the electrical switch according to the present invention. Advantageous design solutions of the electrical switch according to the present invention are given in the following description. The technical problem according to the present invention is also solved by the method for adapting the thermal triggering curve according to the present invention.

[0012] The electrical switch according to the present invention is provided with a thermal triggering unit that triggers when the thermal budget acting on it is exceeded and disconnects the electrical switch. The triggering unit includes an adjustment module that adjusts the triggering element of the thermal triggering unit according to the accessories connected to the electrical switch by means of an actuating element, so that the thermal effect of the accessories is compensated during triggering.

[0013] In the electrical switch according to the present invention, it is advantageous that the thermal triggering curve is adapted to the accessories when the accessories are used. When the accessories are removed, the triggering curve returns to its initial shape. Therefore, the triggering process of the electrical switch is adapted to the corresponding situation regardless of the accessories used.

[0014] In a design solution of the electrical switch according to the present invention, the adjustment module is connected to at least one accessory in a mechanical, electrical or radio-technical manner, and the actuating element is automatically adjusted through this connection so that the thermal effect of the accessories is compensated during triggering.

[0015] In an alternative design solution of the electrical switch according to the present invention, at least one operating element is provided on the adjustment module, and by operating the operating element, the thermal effect of at least one accessory is manually compensated during triggering. The operating element can be configured as a DIP switch.

[0016] In a design solution of the electrical switch according to the present invention, the triggering element is configured as a bimetal trigger. The actuating element can act on the bimetal trigger. The actuating element can move the bimetal trigger laterally or rotate and bend it. The bimetal trigger can interact with the triggering shaft of the electrical switch for triggering.

[0017] In a design solution, the electrical switch is connected to an accessory that heats the electrical switch, and the actuating element increases the distance between the bimetal trigger and the triggering shaft. Alternatively, an accessory that dissipates heat from the electrical switch can be connected to the electrical switch, and the actuating element decreases the distance between the bimetal trigger and the triggering shaft.

[0018] In another design of the electrical switch, at least one accessory is an external front-side accessory, a mounted accessory or an external rear-side accessory.

[0019] The method for adapting the thermal triggering curve of an electrical switch according to the present invention comprises the following steps:

[0020] - Assembling at least one accessory onto the electrical switch; and

[0021] - Automatically or manually adjusting the triggering element by means of an actuating element of the adjustment module such that the thermal effect of the accessory is compensated for upon triggering. Description of the Drawings

[0022] The characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention described above, and the method for achieving them, will become clearer and easier to understand in conjunction with the description of the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0023] Herein:

[0024] Figure 1 An electrical switch having an adjustment module and an accessory is shown;

[0025] Figure 2 An electrical switch having an adjustment module and a socket is shown; and

[0026] Figure 3 A method for adapting the thermal triggering curve of an electrical switch is shown. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0027] In Figure 1 an electrical switch having a thermal triggering unit 100 according to the present invention is shown. When the thermal budget acting on the thermal triggering unit 100 is exceeded, the thermal triggering unit 100 triggers, thereby disconnecting the electrical switch 1000. The triggering unit 100 includes an adjustment module 150 which, depending on the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 connected to the electrical switch 1000, adjusts the triggering element 110 of the thermal triggering unit 100 by means of the actuating element 120 such that the thermal effect of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 is compensated for upon triggering.

[0028] The adjustment module 150 can be connected to at least one of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 in a mechanical, electrical or radio-technical manner. By means of this connection 1150; 1250; 1350, the actuating element 120 is automatically adjusted such that the thermal effect of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 is compensated for upon triggering. The connection 1150; 1250; 1350 can be configured to be mechanical. The accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 are assembled or mounted on the electrical switch 1000 and can be transmitted to the adjustment module 150, for example, by means of a mechanical tappet

[0029] Alternatively or additionally, an operating element 1500 may be provided on the adjustment module 150, which, when actuated, manually compensates for the thermal action of at least one of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 by operating the operating element 1500. After the corresponding accessory 1100; 1200; 1300 has been assembled on or in the electrical switch 1000, the corresponding operating element 1500 on the adjustment module 150 must be operated, so that the adjustment module 150 must be informed of the installation of the corresponding accessory 1100; 1200; 1300 which additionally heats or cools the switch.

[0030] The operating element 1500 may be configured as a DIP switch, by means of which the installation or assembly status of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 is presented on the adjustment module 150 by coding. The adjustment module 150 will adjust the thermal trigger curve corresponding to the coding.

[0031] In correspondence with Figure 1 the illustration of, the triggering element 110 of the thermal trigger unit 100 may be configured as a bimetal trigger. The actuating element 120 of the adjustment module 150 acts on this bimetal trigger. The actuating element 120 may move the bimetal trigger laterally. It is also conceivable to design the structure such that the actuating element 120 rotates and bends the bimetal trigger.

[0032] The bimetal trigger acts together with the trigger shaft 1001 of the electrical switch 1000 for triggering. By means of the tip of the bimetal, Figure 1 in the illustration of, the trigger shaft 1001 is moved to the left to trigger the electrical switch 1000.

[0033] When the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 that heat the electrical switch 1000 are connected to the electrical switch 1000, the actuating element 120 increases the distance between the bimetal trigger and the trigger shaft 1001. In the case where the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 dissipate heat from the electrical switch 1000, the actuating element 120 reduces the distance between the bimetal trigger and the trigger shaft 1001.

[0034] In correspondence with Figure 1 the illustration in, this means that, in the case where the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 additionally heat the switch, the bimetal trigger is pushed to the right away from the trigger shaft 1001. In the case where the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 additionally conduct heat away from the electrical switch 1000, the bimetal trigger is pressed towards the trigger shaft 1001, in correspondence with Figure 1 the illustration in, and is squeezed to the left.

[0035] If multiple accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 are connected to the electrical switch 1000, then the adjustment movements of the actuating element 120 are added up and, if necessary, can also cancel each other out.

[0036] The accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 mounted on the switch can be external front-side accessories, mounted accessories or external rear-side accessories. The external front-side accessories can be, for example, a motor drive, a rotary drive or a locking device. The mounted accessories can be, for example, a communication module, an auxiliary switch or an under-voltage trigger. The external rear-side accessories can be, for example, a socket.

[0037] In Figure 2 is shown an electrical switch 1000 according to the invention and its thermal triggering unit 100 and adjustment module 150. The electrical switch 1000 is mounted on a socket serving as an accessory 1300, and no other accessories are mounted on the electrical switch 1000. The socket serving as an accessory 1300 is connected to the adjustment module 150 by means of a connection 1350. The connection 1350 can be configured, for example, as a mechanical tappet.

[0038] Figure 3 is shown a method 2000 for adapting the thermal triggering curve of the electrical switch 1000. After the start 2001, in a first step, the assembly 2100 of at least one accessory 1100; 1200; 1300 on the electrical switch 100 is carried out. In a second step, the triggering element 110 is adjusted 2200 automatically or manually by means of the actuating element 120 of the adjustment module 150 so as to compensate for the thermal action of the accessories 1100; 1200; 1300 upon triggering.

[0039] The method 2000 according to the invention ends at the end 2002.

Claims

1. An electrical switch (1000) having a thermal trigger unit (100), which triggers when the thermal budget acting on it is exceeded and disconnects the electrical switch (1000). Characterized in that The triggering unit (100) includes an adjustment module (150). After an accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) is assembled onto the electrical switch (1000), the adjustment module adjusts a triggering element (110) of the thermal triggering unit (100) by means of an actuating element (120) according to the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) connected to the electrical switch (1000), so as to compensate for an undesired thermal effect of the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) during triggering, and to adapt the thermal triggering curve of the electrical switch (1000) to the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) when the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) is in use. When the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) is removed, the triggering curve returns to its original shape. The accessory is a component that additionally heats or cools the electrical switch in addition to the heat-generating components of the thermal triggering unit.

2. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 1, wherein The adjustment module (150) is connected to at least one accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) mechanically, electrically or radio-technologically, and automatically adjusts the actuating element (120) through the connection (1150; 1250; 1350) so as to compensate for the thermal effect of the accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) during triggering.

3. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 1, wherein At least one operating element (1500) is provided on the adjustment module (150). By operating the operating element, the thermal effect of at least one accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) is manually compensated during triggering.

4. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 3, wherein The operating element (1500) is configured as a DIP switch.

5. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 1, wherein The triggering element (110) is configured as a bimetal trigger.

6. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 5, wherein The actuating element (120) acts on the bimetal trigger.

7. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein The actuating element (120) moves the bimetal trigger laterally or rotates and bends it.

8. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein The bimetal trigger interacts with a triggering shaft (1001) of the electrical switch (1000) for triggering.

9. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 8, the electrical switch is connected to an accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) that heats the electrical switch (1000), and the actuator (120) increases the distance between the bimetallic trigger and the trigger shaft (1001).

10. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 8, the electrical switch is connected to an accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) that cools the electrical switch (1000), and the actuator (120) decreases the distance between the bimetallic trigger and the trigger shaft (1001).

11. The electrical switch (1000) according to claim 1, wherein At least one accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) is an external front-side accessory, a mounted accessory or an external rear-side accessory (1100; 1200; 1300).

12. A method (2000) for adapting the thermal trigger curve of the electrical switch (1000) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method having the following steps: - Assembling (2100) at least one accessory (1100; 1200; 1300) to the electrical switch (1000); and - The triggering element (110) is automatically or manually adjusted (2200) by means of the actuating element (120) of the adjustment module (150) such that the thermal action of the attachment (1100; 1200; 1300) is compensated for upon triggering.

Images